VATICAN: White Smoke Erupts, New Pope Elected
White smoke has erupted from the Vatican’s chimney, suggesting that a new pope has been elected.
The new pope is scheduled to appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square within the next hour.
BREAKING:
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) May 8, 2025
267th Pope is Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first American Pope to be elected
He takes the name Pope Leo the 14th pic.twitter.com/i1QwFr6foR
A senior cardinal will pronounce the decision “Habemus Papam” – Latin for “we have a Pope” – and introduce the new pontiff by his chosen papal name.
The new pope will succeed Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.
The future pontiff will be the 267th. Earlier on Thursday, there was black smoke pouring from the chapel’s chimney, indicating that no clear winner had emerged from the voting.
WHITE SMOKE
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 8, 2025
Conclave has elected a new pope. pic.twitter.com/c5x7TXJPGw
Tens of thousands of devout gathered in St. Peter’s Square, anxiously watching history unfold behind the chapel’s shut doors.
The cardinals, who are sworn to secrecy and isolated from the outside world, vote up to four times every day—twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.
This continues until one candidate receives the necessary two-thirds majority, or at least 89 votes, to be named the 267th Pope.
The first signal from the Sistine Chapel was due at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, but the black smoke did not arrive until two hours later.
BREAKING: American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost has been selected as the next Pope, a total surprise.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 8, 2025
Prevost is the first American pontiff in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
Prevost was born in Chicago and spent much of his career ministering in Peru.
Prevost,… pic.twitter.com/sglL6DXCVp
After spending the night in the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence, the cardinals ate an early breakfast and celebrated Mass before taking their oath.
They then returned to the Sistine Chapel for the second day of the secret ballot. During the election process, smoke signals traditionally occur around midday and early evening, typically around 7pm.
The previous two conclaves—in 2005 and 2013—resulted in the elections of Benedict XVI and Francis, respectively, and each lasted two days.
Some papal elections in the 20th century took up to five days, while the longest conclave in history, in the 13th century, lasted two years and nine months.
VATICAN: White Smoke Erupts, New Pope Elected
